


The Art of Non-Gift Giving

by HelloAmHere



Series: Symphony Hall [3]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M, Snippets, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 22:47:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13421232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelloAmHere/pseuds/HelloAmHere
Summary: A Ziam symphony hall snippet, in texts, over Christmas.





	The Art of Non-Gift Giving

**Author's Note:**

> This is a tiny ramble pulled out of the backstory of Saving Symphony Hall! Do whatever you want but this may be confusing if you haven't read SSH, it relies on the contextual details there a bit.
> 
> It takes place between chapters six and seven, during the December/Christmas break of the story. 
> 
> I suppose this is late for another christmas-themed fic but I was resting from working the bigger story and I love writing dumb text conversations so this is what you get. I hope you enjoy!!

Zayn: _holiday question time_

 

Liam: _is this gonna be about the christmas charity thing again_

Liam: _because I already told you no_

Liam: _I have literally had to play silent night like_

Liam: _thirty million times in my life_

Liam: _i’m not gonna do it again_

 

Zayn: _no_

 

Liam: _i don’t think you realize what it is to be a violinst_

Liam: _u were too busy playing your punk cello or whatever_

 

Zayn: _i won awards with that cello_

 

Liam: _i know we all know_

 

Zayn: _before I became your conductor_

Zayn: _anyway it’s not about the christmas party_ _this is like a getting to know you thing_

Zayn: _not you specifically_

Zayn: _I’m asking everybody this_

Zayn: _trying to be like a better boss_

Zayn: _or whatever_

 

Liam: _okkkk_

Liam: _what_

 

Zayn: _does your family generally give gifts_

Zayn: _like are you a gift giving kind of family_

Zayn: _do you give gifts to mailmen and the people who do your hair and whatever_

Zayn: _and friends_

 

Liam: _ur asking the whole orchestra this?_

Zayn: _excuse me for trying to get to know my people like a very nice boss_

Zayn: _by the way it would take 171 years to play silent night 30 million times_

Zayn: _probably more with all the violiny flourishes you’d put on it_

 

***

 

Zayn: _I have an issue_

 

Louis: _your face is an issue_

 

Zayn: _no one has ever said that to me before_

Zayn: _I’m genuinely confused_

 

Niall: _ignore tommo_

Niall: _he’s drunk this is niall on his phone_

Niall: _what’s up Z_

 

Zayn: _oh ok_

Zayn: _I have a louis-specific issue can he text me when he’s sober pls_

 

Niall: _oh come on_

Niall: _talk to me about it_

Niall: _everybody else does Z, you will too eventually_

 

Zayn: _cool bye nial_

 

***

 

Liam: _look about the christmas party thing_

Liam: _I feel like I reacted kind of strongly_

Liam: _sometimes the holidays can be a little stressful you know_

Liam: _just gonna be a long season_

 

Zayn: _there are gonna be kids there_

Zayn: _they probably have never even heard silent night played on violin_

 

Liam: _:(_

 

Zayn: _old ladies too_

Zayn: _the only chance they get to see their grandkids, at the symphony holiday party_

 

Liam: _:( :( :(_

 

Zayn: _the bar is gonna have wreaths on it_

Zayn: _the kids haven’t lived 171 years, Li_

Zayn: _they’ve only lived like 2 years_

Zayn: _they don’t even know what silent night sounds like_

Zayn:  _they've never had the experience of understanding what it is to sleep in heavenly peace_

Zayn:  _or what it means when all is calm all is bright round yon virgin_

 

Liam: _what am I playing to babies_

Liam: _are you having a baby holiday party, Zayn?_

 

Zayn: _no_

Zayn: _normal children_

 

Liam: _two year olds are toddlers_

 

Zayn: _I don’t know what do i look like some kind of baby expert_

 

Liam: _no you don’t you really don’t_

Liam: _fine I’ll play the stupid party_

 

Zayn: _:) :) :)_

 

***

 

Louis: _you want to know what it means when someone gives gifts?_

Louis: _and you’re asking this at christmastime?_

Louis: _zayn are you actually an alien_

Louis: _are you using this whole orchestra thing as a vehicle for creepy alien research_

 

Zayn: _shut up_

 

Louis: _omg you are aren’t you_

Louis: _are you gonna have creepy probe alien sex stuff wtih lima_

 

Zayn: _never even been to peru_

Zayn: _look what I mean is_

Zayn: _if somebody says that they don’t like gifts what does that mean_

 

Louis: _somebody’s lying to you_

Louis: _let me break it down people need_

Louis: _stuff to survive, gifts are just free stuff, people like gifts_

 

Zayn: _yes but there’s a bit of a sociological infrastructure to the whole gift thing isn’t ther e_

 

Louis: _ZAYN_

Louis: _UR AN ALIEN !!!!_

 

Zayn: _excuse me for trying to better my understanding_

Zayn: _you know what fuck off , fuck you and the pony you rode in on_

 

Louis: _it’s horse Z, if you were a human you would know that_

 

Zayn: _not for you it’s not my tiny friend_

 

Louis: _U fuck off I’m never gonna talk to you again !!!!!!!_

 

Zayn: _still doing coffee tmrw before you leave for your mums?_

 

Louis: _yes_

 

***

 

Zayn: _BUT HOW_

Zayn: _WHY_

 

Liam: _it’s not that big a deal_

Liam: _I didn’t mean it to sound like a big deal_

 

Zayn: _look there are a hundred and ninety-five sovereign nations in this godforsaken world and there’s only one thing that they can all agree about and that is that HATING CHRISTMAS_

Zayn: _IS A BIG DEAL_

 

Liam: _i never said hate_

Liam: _some countries aren’t even christian, zayn_

 

Zayn:  _excuse you_ _I'm muslim_  
Zayn: _i’m the only muslim you know probably_

 

Liam: _I know you are_

Liam: _you’re not I’m from frigging London Z_

Liam: _I didn’t mean that I just meant it can’t be like that in every country_

Liam: _and I never said hate_

 

Zayn: _:p not offended_

Zayn: _you said you DIDn’T LIKe Christmas which for you liam is HATE language_

Zayn: _what did christmas ever do to you_

 

Liam: _remember when we didn’t talk to each other i miss that_

Liam: _jk_

Liam: _i wasn’t srs about that_

 

Zayn: _i cnt hear you over the sound of the jingle bell orchestral rock that I am scoring out now_

Zayn: _symphony’s gonna play this next show hope youre ready_

 

Liam: _I know you are joking with me_

Liam: _but I still feel kind of worried_

 

Zayn: _somebody call the presses_

Zayn: _payne is worried_

Zayn: _additionally the sky is blue_

 

Liam: _you’r e different over text you know_

Liam: _you joke more_

Liam: _not bad different_

 

***

 

Zayn: _i have an artistic question_

 

Harry: _Nice! Also nice to hear from you. I actually have phone service at my parents’, isn’t that grand? Text all the questions you want. My sister says hi. We’re getting lunch together. She looks great._

Harry: <gemma.jpg>

 

Zayn: _Louis is right you text in like, essays. It’s like we’re penpals now_

Zayn: _hi harry’s sister_

 

Harry: _Did he say that? Did he say anything else_

Harry: _about me?_

 

Zayn: <eyeroll.gif>

Zayn: _my ART question not LOUIS question_

Zayn: _is this - in your judgment what is a good kind of gift taht isn’t physical_

 

Harry: _oh i had a philosophy seminar where we discussed this one time, it was really interesting. Like what is the materiality of relationships, you know, and how is it that we incarnate our emotions as embodied creatures_

 

Zayn: _oh god_

 

Harry: _i’m sort of an existential phenomenologist about this stuff_

Harry: _so i think the physical/not physical thing is a false dichotomy bc everything is co-constituted really_

Harry: _it’s all merleau-ponty for me_

 

Zayn: _oh my god_

Zayn: _this is why i took one painting class and then switched entirely to music_

Zayn: _u environmentalist sculptors are useless_

 

Harry: _artistically speaking_

Harry: _people who claim to not like physical gifts probably mean something like_

Harry: _nobody’s given them gifts that they really like, you know_

Harry: _they still might like the abstract idea of being given a gift, the symbol of care_

Harry: _the qualia of a gift if you will_

 

Zayn: _hm_

 

***

 

Zayn: _did you ask for a pony and not get it_

 

Liam: _it’s 1 am_

 

Zayn: _yeah but you usually stay up late doing extra rehearsals after we talk about paganini at rehearsal so I knew you’d be up_

 

Liam: _that’s not untrue_

Liam: _just don’t have a lot to occupy my time i guess with louis and nial and babs and harry all gone for the hols_

 

Zayn: _yeah but beach time soon!_

 

Liam: _yeah :)_

 

Zayn: _assholes leaving us alone in the city for xmas_

Zayn: _so is that why you hate xmas? U asked for a pony and didn’t get it_

 

Liam: _that’s also not it along with the last twenty five things you tried_

Liam: _i also didn’t develop an embarrassing crush on Santa Claus and feel rejected by his not responding_

Liam: _as you theorized in front of the entire strings section this morning_

 

Zayn: _it would be ok if you had_

Zayn: _i had a crush on a lot of fictional characters as a child_

Zayn: _mostly the fox from robin hood_

 

Liam: _who didn’t have a crush on that guy_

 

Zayn: _RIGHT_

Zayn: _is there anything about xmas u like_

Zayn: _xmas movies?_

 

Liam: _i’d like to get this fucking fingering down_

Liam: _that’s the only xmas present i’d like_

Liam: _you’ll only make fun of the movies i like_

 

Zayn: _what! No I won’t_

Zayn: _come on as your fake bf I’m supposed to know these things_

Zayn: _everybody gets a free pass on like, liking holiday movies_

Zayn: _you should tweet something about ur fave movie and then I can screenshot it and people will think we’re watching it together and it’ll totally sell more tickets_

 

Liam: _that seems involved_

Liam: _if i didn’t need to play paganini for another two hours I’d just say you should come over and watch a stupid old movie in my living room_

 

Zayn: _old movies aren’t stupid_

Zayn: _what like black and white, like bing crosby shit?_

 

Liam: _yeah I guess_

Liam: _I just  find them sorta peaceful_

Liam: _we always used to watch holiday inn and its a wonderful life and stuff like that_

 

Zayn: _your fam?_

Zayn: _not this year?_

Zayn: _cuz you’re not going home?_

 

Liam: _yeah_

 

Zayn: _hey_

Zayn: _gonna replace the paganini with silent night I think_

 

Liam: _:)_

 

***

 

Liam: _so what, run out of xmas theories?_

 

Zayn: _??_

 

Liam: _just hadn’t heard from you in a bit. Started to worry._

 

Zayn: _oh! No i’m an endless font of creativity that’s why I’m the director_

Zayn: _thought maybe you’d want to enjoy your break now that we’re all off rehearsals_

Zayn: _unless you’re rehearsing silent night for the xmas party which you better be_

 

Liam: _yeah fff u, hahaha, they’re playing carols in my elevator now_

Liam: _I’m hearing christmas carols in my dreams definitely don’t need to practice_

Liam: _no i’m totally enjoying the break_

Liam: _very busy_

Liam: _what are you up to_

 

Zayn: _honestly I spent twenty minutes thinking about getting a tree for my apartment and then...didn’t_

Zayn: _was gonna get lunch_

Zayn: _funny how quiet the city is since everybody’s gone for xmas, bet we could get into that swanky place near the hall that never has dropin openings_

 

Liam: _do you want to try ?_ _  
_ Liam: _if you’re not busy I mean_

Liam: _I mean we should probably just see if we can get a table if it’s the only time it’s possible_

Liam: _we also haven’t posted anything on insta lately and if we were truly boyfriends we would’ve_

Liam: _gotta keep it up for the symphony you know_

 

Zayn: _yes_

Zayn: _yes let’s do it - noon?_

 

Liam: _yeah!_

 

***

 

Zayn: _scale of one to ten how much of a bad idea is it to invite someone over for a movie night_

 

Louis: _not high ??_

Louis: _well abi and i were talking about misused scales lately_

Louis: _like is the neutral point of the scale zero? Or in the middle of the scale? Is a one on the scale “neutral idea” or is five “neutral” and one is more like, “good idea”?_

 

Zayn: _why don’t I have actually helpful friends_

 

Louis: _you gotta bound your scales, zayn_

 

Zayn: _how’s xmas nerd_

 

Louis: _it’s great! Baking cookies!!!_

 

Zayn: _ur sisters are baking cookies and ur sitting on the countertop eating dough?_

 

Louis: _that’s what I said!!!!_

Louis: _hey any symphony project updates_

Louis: _like heard anything from Harry or anything_

 

Zayn: <gemma.jpg>

 

Louis: _I said Harry not some pretty girl who looks like him_

 

Zayn: _that’s harry’s sister that’s my update_

 

Louis: _omffffffffGGGGOD_

Louis: _facebook stalking_

Louis: _in order to better understand the potential dynamics of the symphony collaboration and h’s artistic influences_

 

Zayn: _uh huh_

Zayn: <ur_welcome_moana.gif>

 

Louis: _now that’s a good movie_

Louis: _invite somebody over for that and it’s a good idea_

Louis: _love a good musical_

 

Zayn: _good good all those old black and white ones are musicals_

 

***

 

Liam: _hey uh_

Liam: _I just wanted to say something about the other night_

Liam: _movie night I mean_

Liam: _I mean like when you invited me over_

 

Zayn: _yeah?_

Zayn: _what’s up_

 

Liam: _I feel like I kind of rambled a lot_

Liam: _underestimated the eggnog or something -____-_

Liam: _uh I guess I’m like sorry_

Liam: _if I went on_

 

Zayn: _you didn’t_

Zayn: _we were both a little drunk! It’s all good! It was a good night_

 

Liam: _yeah it was_

Liam: _i guess some christmas stuff is ok_

Liam: _:)_

Liam: _didn’t mean to get like maudlin about holidays_

Liam: _just sorta weird first holiday alone in a new city_

Liam: _anyway it’s not a big deal like I didn’t mean to make it sound like a big deal_

 

Zayn: _hey missing fam is valid_

Zayn: _especially when your fam does stupid shit like go on a vacation that you can’t make it to because you have a killer rehearsal schedule_

 

Liam: _yeah_

Liam: _didn’t mean to make it sound like I didn’t want to be concertmaster obvi it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me_

 

Zayn: _you don’t have to worry_

Zayn: _I’m not judging or worried_

Zayn: _you’ve worked hard_

 

Liam: _hasn’t always been a lot of time for things like xmas u know_

Liam: _at some point I just started ignoring it_

 

Zayn: <bing_danny_kaye_dance.gif>

 

Liam: _haha_

Liam: _danny kaye is bae_

 

Zayn: _i’m hurt_

Zayn: _:o_

 

Liam: _i’m gonna tweet that_

Liam: _maybe I’ll screenshot your text just now_

 

Zayn: _excellent_

Zayn: _did u ever see the court jester_

 

Liam: _yes!!!_

Liam: _so good_

 

Zayn: _i’ve never seen it_

Zayn: _probably should_

 

Liam: _tonight? Seven? I’ll pick up thai_

 

Zayn: _deal_

Zayn: _I’m bringing a wreath for your apartment_

 

***

 

Zayn: _I think I figured out what you meant_

Zayn: _about gifts being more than physical things_

 

Harry: _oh yeah? Want to borrow my copy of the phenomenology of perception_

 

Zayn: _no asshole_

 

***

 

Zayn: _I have a question for babs_

 

Niall: _i’m hurt_

Niall: _wounded, zayn. You could ask your questions to me too!_

 

Zayn: _yeah but this really is for babs_

Zayn: _and she’s not answering and your number was in the group chat_

 

Niall: _is this about liam_

 

Zayn: _what? No why would it be_

Zayn: _everything’s good with the orchestra_

 

Niall: _no reason_

Niall: _Babs is wrapping presents and cursing. She can’t text because her fingers are covered in tape._

Niall: _tell me your question and I’ll relay it to her_

 

Zayn: <img023.jpg>

 

Niall: _is the question about whether you are hot?????????_

Niall: _i would think you’d have a lifetime of getting an answer to that one by now_

 

Zayn: _I’m trying to pick an outfit for the symphony’s like, holiday party fundraiser thing_

Zayn: _it’s for a kids’ hospital_

Zayn: _it’s like the first time people get to see me in something other than same old black tuxedo you know_

Zayn: <img024.jpg>

 

Niall: _people huh_

Niall: _those outfits look the same to me_

 

Zayn: _SHOW BABS_

 

Niall: _ok jesus hahah_

 

Zayn: <img025.jpg>

Zayn: <img026.jpg>

Zayn: <img027.jpg>

Zayn: <img028.jpg>

Zayn: <img029.jpg>

Zayn: <img030.jpg>

 

Niall: _that’s the same one only you just changed the tie_

 

Zayn: _NIALL WHAT DOES BABS SAY_

 

Niall: _she says the third one but take the socks from the fifth one_

Niall: _and I say you guys are crazy_

 

Zayn: _thank u_

Zayn: _I have now saved your number in my phone and i will consider you for future questions_

 

Niall: _i just steal louis’ texts on the regular anyway_

 

***

 

Liam: _Zayn_

Liam: _Zayn where did you go_

Liam: _Zayn what is this_

Liam: _what is this thing that you did Zayn_

 

Zayn: _nothing_

Zayn: _why does everybody always blame me_

 

Liam: _Zayn some tiny child in an elf outfit just handed me a box and I recognize your handwriting_

Liam: _and this box has a ticket in it_

Liam: _is this a gift_

 

Zayn:  _no_

Liam: _Zayn_ _it has a bow on it_

 

Zayn:  _it's more like a qualia_

 

Liam:  _is that another joke I don't get  
_

Liam: _what is this, I don't know what to say_

 

Zayn: _i can’t hear you I’m talking to a donor sorry_

 

Liam: _ZAYN_

Liam: _I CAN SEE YOu_

Liam: _you’re just DRINKING CHRISTMAS PUNCH_

 

Zayn: _I’m pregaming talking to symphony donors can’t talk, Li_

 

Liam: _I’m coming over there_

 

***

 

Louis: _hey I heard the hospital charity thing went really well_

Louis: _saw a clip on twitter! Liam doing jingle bell rock with a preteen band omg omg haha_

 

Zayn: _it was_

Zayn: _the highlight of my life_

 

Louis: _he looked so serious_

Louis: _he went on like a ten minute duet with the electric guitar_

 

Zayn: _yeah did you catch it was half the riff from the paganini_

Zayn: _even when he’s goofing off he’s the best musician I’ve ever seen_

 

Louis: _aw I miss you guys_

Louis: _seems like you and Liam have learned to live with the whole fake boyfriends thing_

 

Zayn: _we had maybe like a breakthrough this month_

 

Louis: _it’s a xmas miracle_

 

Zayn: _don’t count your chickens or anything_

Zayn: _it’s mostly virtual at this point_

Zayn: _but he_

Zayn: _hugged me???_

 

Louis: _what_

Louis: _you let somebody hug you????_

 

Zayn: _there were extenuating circumstances_

Zayn: _nevermind_

Zayn: _hey you know in all those old holiday movies, people hug and dance and stuff_

Zayn: _maybe we’re just momentarily influenced by that_

Zayn: _it probably won’t last_

 

Louis: _i don’t understand what you’re talking about but ok_

Louis: _christmas is nice but looking forward to beach house_

 

Zayn: _yeah so is harry_

 

Louis: _is he?? Did he say that???_

 

Zayn: <eyeroll.gif>

 

***

 

Liam: _why haven’t you texted me in a week AGAIN_

Liam: _worst fake boyfriend_

 

Zayn: _hi to you too_

Zayn: _I didn’t want to interrupt your family time_

 

Liam: _you’re not an interruption_

Liam: _just saw your insta pic and looks like you got into the restaurant by the hall again :)_

 

Zayn: _yeah_

Zayn: _not as much fun without you though bc the same waiter was wearing that shirt but I had no one to laugh about with it?_

 

Liam: <danny_kaye_laugh.gif>

 

Zayn: _cold_

Zayn: _don’t send ur current fake bf pictures of your movie fake bf_

 

Liam: _you’re like a black haired danny kaye you know_

Liam: _only different in the hair and the talking and the exuberant personality and the general liking-other-people part_

Liam: _and the fact that he could dance and sing and tell jokes and you can only play a dozen instruments_

 

Zayn: _what have I done to deserve this_

 

Liam: _:)_

Liam: _I know i already said it but thank you_

 

Zayn: _you did no need_

Zayn: _what was it somebody said? It’s not a big deal, the xmas stuff._

 

Liam: _shifting the january rehearsal schedule and getting Terry to fill in for me on sectional leads so I can go on vacation with my family_

Liam: _and coordinating with my sister to secretly buy me a ticket_

Liam: _i dunno it all feels like kind of a big deal_

 

Zayn: _i hate christmas so i wouldn’t know_

Zayn: _guess that’s just what happens when you spend 171 years getting good at violin, we don’t actually need you for every single rehearsal_

 

Liam: _hey_

Liam: _another movie night when I get back?_

 

Zayn: _deal._


End file.
